And so the ordinary unendurable torments we all experienced were indeed exceptional in the way they were absorbed in each heart.

Writing is like driving at night in the fog. You can only see as far as your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way.

All secrets become deep. All secrets become dark. That's in the nature of secrets.

Good writing is supposed to evoke sensation in the reader - not the fact that it is raining, but the feeling of being rained upon.

When in trouble or in doubt, run in circles, scream and shout.

Writing is an exploration. You start from nothing and learn as you go.

Never underestimate the determination of a kid who is time-rich and cash-poor.

I am often asked the question How can the masses permit themselves to be exploited by the few. The answer is By being persuaded to identify with them.

The three most important documents a free society gives are a birth certificate, a passport, and a library card.

Writers are not just people who sit down and write. They hazard themselves. Every time you compose a book your composition of yourself is at stake.

Writing is a socially acceptable form of schizophrenia.

Our words and our works are evidence that our profession of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is true.

Our future depends on how we understand the past.

You will learn a lesson repeated through history, that no matter what you think, occupation is not victory!

Writing is not the lottery. New writers have to be realistic about what it takes to get published. But there is one similarity to the lottery: You have to play to win.

My hands look terrible but I can do anything I want to do, so, you know, I just think I'm playing all around with more good taste and not dashing up and down the piano.

Wisdom lies in recognizing the dangers that lie within us and doing battle with them daily.

We are articulate, but we are not particularly conversational. An Englishman won't talk for the sake of talking. He doesn't mind silence. But after the silence, he sometimes says something.

We old roosters must be cautious. Don't try to outwit your arteries.

The unconscious creates, the ego edits.

When you first get fame, you're so insecure that you just become a ding dong.